257,
I would certainly opt for the Nikkor 70-200 2.8. It is an awesome piece of glass. I'm not an authority on the usefulness of the VR feature, but I have not heard anyone really bragging on it, or using it for that matter. (You can turn it off)
The VR seems to have really run the price up, I noticed. The previous model ran about $1,600 as I recall. The new one with VR runs about $2,000 and change.
I would probably try to find the previous model without the VR. It has a big advantage over earlier models as it has the Silent Wave Motor which focuses WAAAY faster than the old system.
IMO, I would shy away from independent lens makers. Some have pretty good reputations, but I have never had good experiences with them. Several years ago, we bought 8 of the Sigma 14mm's. Several fell into two pieces within three years or so, and we ended up replacing them all with Nikkor glass, so the plan to save a few bucks ended up costing us way more than just spending the extra for Nikkors from the start. Others I have used just were not as sharp as Nikkors.
Unfortunately, quality isn't cheap and it just keeps going up. Ugghhh!
